Apparatus and method to mechanically orient perforating systems in a well

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for using that apparatus to orient a perforating gun or system to minimize or eliminate the damage which may be caused to exterior control conduits, conductors or devices, or to adjacent interior well control lines, conduits or tubing by attaching the perforating system to a device which has a resilient cam or guide which engages a slot formed on the interior of a specially fabricated tubular member attached at a spaced distance from the perforating systems blast and which is so oriented as to permit the attachment of the lines or conduits or devices in the opposite radial direction from the blast of the perforating system.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

This invention presents an apparatus and method to mechanically orientperforating systems in a well relative to other devices, conduits,wave-guides, and electrical cable disposed in a well.

2. State of the Art

Typically to extract fluids from below the earth's surface, a casing isrun into a penetration made in the earth, referred to herein as a wellbore, and a length of casing is disposed concentrically inside the wellbore. This casing is grouted into the well by placing a cement grout inthe annular space between the casing outer surface and the well boreforming a bond between the casing's outer diameter and the well bore.Production tubing or drill pipe may also be deployed within the casing.Subsequently the casing (or tubing or pipe, if applicable), the cement,and at least one subterranean formation are penetrated by the use of avariety of perforating systems known to those familiar with oil and gasproduction, typically consisting of explosive charges disposed inside atubular housing connected to a surface detonation device by anelectrical conductor. The perforating systems when actuated formhigh-pressure exhaust jets and their resulting shock waves penetrate thecasing (or tubing or pipe, if applicable), cement and subterraneanformation. Other types of perforating systems utilize high pressurefluids and or abrasives to cut through the casing (or tubing or pipe, ifapplicable), the cement, and the formation to create the requiredperforation or slot, and thereby allow communication of subterraneanfluids into the casing, pipe, or tubing being perforated. In any case(the explosive charge method, or the hydraulic penetration or otherpenetration methods), the objective is to allow for a pressure orhydraulic communication path to be formed from the inner diameter of thecasing, pipe, or tubing into the subterranean formation and each iscollectively referred to herein as a perforating gun.

In certain cases, the casing, pipe, or tubing to be penetrated ispositioned in the well adjacent other devices or conduits which may bedisposed parallel to the outer diameter of the casing, pipe, or tubingat the depth to be penetrated. When perforating the casing, pipe, ortubing in these situations, the resulting penetration operation may alsoinadvertently penetrate or otherwise damage the adjacent device orconduit. Hence, in the situation involving any parallel conduits ordevices disposed in well at the depth where the penetration is to bemade as in some dual string completion systems, or when other devicesare located outside the casing, pipe, or tubing to be perforated at thesame depth, it is possible to inadvertently penetrate these otherconduits or devices. These devices and conduits can be control lines,dual production tubing, casing strings, pressure gauge carriers,geophones, hydrophones, wave guides, sensing devices, and many othertools and instruments disposed in subterranean environments.

The device and method described herein aligns the perforating systemssuch that, when they are energized, they penetrate a predeterminedradial direction relative to this inventions apparatus, and by fixingother devices and conduits in a position that is known relative to theapparatus of this invention a method is presented to avoid damaging orpenetrating devices and conduits upon perforation. An orientation methodand apparatus disclosed also accomodates perforating systems topurposely penetrate, ignite, or excite devices and apparatus connectedto the casing or tubing in which the perforating system is disposedconcentrically inside, such that the device, explosive charge, orconduit connected to the pipe is disposed in a known radial positionrelative to this inventions orientation device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the apparatus and orienting guide ina casing.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the device before movement into thepreferred orientation.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the device after movement into thepreferred orientation.

FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the apparatus in a well boreorienting the perforating tool away from the conduits or conductors onthe opposite side of the tubular body.

FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the apparatus including multipleorienting tubulars 10 in the same wellbore.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

FIG. 1 of the present invention is a cross sectional view of theapparatus in the guiding profile section of the tubular member. Tubulars5 and 35 are connected in the well bore to couplings 30 and 31 in amanner well known in the industry. Couplings 30 and 31 join a speciallyfabricated tubular 10 that provides an inner raceway orienting surface14. A cooperating profile of the tubular 10 is formed by the insertionof the raceway orienting surface 14, which forms a tang at each end ofthe longitudinal passage of the tubular 10 which gradually slopes aroundthe periphery to fill the tubular 10 except for an orienting channel 15formed on the interior of 10 by the proximate adjacent longitudinalwalls of the member 20. Member 20 may comprise a sleeve with theappropriate shape incorporating orienting surface 14 and orientingchannel 15. Other methods of fabricating the tubular 10 with acooperating groove 15 can be readily substituted without departing fromthe disclosure. For example, the tubular 10 could be milled with agrooved surface in a manner well known to those in this art. Likewise, aresilient grooved mechanism could be formed on the orienting mandrel anda ridge formed on the interior surface of the orienting tubular to beused in the same manner and with the same result. It is noted thattubular 10 may include an orienting surface 14 on each of its ends so asto facilitate orientation of devices moving in the downhole direction aswell as devices moving in the uphole direction.

Tubular 10 along with tubulars 5 and 35 and other similar tubularscomprise a tubular well string 500 which can be a casing string (to becemented within a wellbore as shown in FIG. 4), a drill pipe string, aproduction or completion string, or other similar types of stringsdisposed in wellbores.

An orienting mandrel 99 cooperates with the tubular 10. The orientingmandrel 99 consists of a cylindrical body 100 formed with a longitudinalslot 125 and is configured at each end 111 to be connected to aperforating gun 41 and/or a conveyance device 40. The conveyance device40 can comprise any of the known methods of conveyance, includingwireline (see FIG. 4), slickline, coiled tubing, tubing string, or drillpipe, among others.

An orienting guide or cam 120 is fashioned to slidably fit inside theslot 125 of the cylindrical body 100 and is retained therein by cap headscrews 130. Springs or other resilient members 140 are positionedbetween the orienting guide 120 and the interior surface of the slot 125on the body 100 to urge the orienting guide or cam 120 into engagementwith orienting surface 14 and slot 15 formed on the inside surface oftubular 10. Tubular 10 is placed or coupled or set in the tubular string500 by couplings 30 and 31 at the location desired, so that theorienting guide is a known distance from the zone to be perforated. Theprovision of the orienting guide in a spaced relationship with theperforating system permits the perforation to proceed with the greatestamount of protection for the adjacent conduit or device. Although theorienting mandrel 99 and perforating gun 41 are shown in the Figures tobe separate connected pieces, it is understood that the mandrel 99 (andguide 120) can be integral with the perforating gun body. In addition,the perforating gun 41 can be located above or below the orientingmandrel 99 and guide 120. Moreover, each perforating gun 41 or mandrel99 can have more than one guide 120.

The conduit or device, hereinafter referred to as “protected member” 6,which is to be protected from the blast of the perforating gun isaligned on the string 500 and attached in a manner well known to thosein the art so that it runs opposite the slotted interior 15 andtherefore opposite the radial direction of the perforating gun. Althoughshown in the Figures as a control or fiber optic line, protected member6 can comprise any of a number of conduits or devices, includingelectrical cables, fibre optic cables, fluid conduits, gauge carriers,geophones, hydrophones, wave guides, sensors, other tubing, valves aswell as other instruments know to those familiar with the art which arefrom time to time disposed in a well. This configuration of the slot 15,the downhole member 6 and the positioning of the perforating gun may bealtered, so long as it is done consistently, without departing from thespirit of this disclosure.

FIG. 2 shows the orienting assembly after it has entered the tubular 10,but before it has been turned by cooperating surface 14 to seat in thegroove 15 on the interior surface of the tubular 10. Protected member 6is positioned and attached, such as by one or more clamps or tabs 7placed on the exterior surface of tubular 10, before insertion of thetubular 10 in the wellbore. In another embodiment, the protected member6 is attached to the interior surface of the tubular 10.

FIG. 3 shows the orienting assembly after it has been turned by thecooperating surface 14 so that the orienting guide 120 follows slot 15.Due to their relative attachment, the perforating gun 41 turns alongwith the orienting mandrel 99. This then results in the guns beingoriented and perforating in a predetermined radial direction relative toand away from the protected member 6 (see FIG. 4). It is understood thata swivel may be located above the perforating gun in order to allow thejoint rotation of the perforating gun and orienting mandrel 99 and guide120 in relation to the conveyance device 40.

In one embodiment, the internal diameter of the string 500 above andbelow the orienting surface 14 is larger than the internal diameter ofthe remainder of the well string 500. The section of larger internaldiameter, which on each end of orienting surface 14 can be approximately1 foot long, functions to ensure that the orienting guide 120 “catches”and is turned by cooperating surface 14 and follows slot 15.

FIG. 1 shows the well string 500 (including tubular 10) within a casingstring CS in a wellbore. In this embodiment wherein well string 500 doesnot comprise the casing string CS, the protected member 6 (shown to be acontrol or fiber optic line) is disposed in the annulus between thecasing string CS and the well string 500. Once the orienting guide 120engages the orienting tubular 10, the perforating gun 41 would beoriented away from protected member 6 as described below and shown withrespect to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows the embodiment wherein the well string 500 comprises thecasing string CS. In this embodiment, the well string 500 is grouted orcemented in the annulus 43 of a borehole BH. The perforating gun 41 andorienting mandrel 99 are lowered within the well string 500 by aconveyance device 40. As previously disclosed, the orienting guide 120engages the orienting tubular 10 to rotate the perforating gun 41 andorienting mandrel 99. As may be readily appreciated, the protectedmember 6 has been attached to the exterior surface of the tubular member10 adjacent the interior slot 15 and the perforating gun 41 is orientedto fire away from the protected member 6.

In one embodiment as shown in FIG. 5, multiple orienting tubulars 10 maybe included in the same well string 500. Each tubular 10 may correspondto a particular zone or region 502. An operator may perforate a zone orregion 502 per run by running the perforating gun 41 and mandrel 99 todepth (using depth correlation) wherein the mandrel 99 engages therelevant tubular 10. Engagement between the mandrel 99 and tubular 10 aspreviously disclosed ensures that the protected member 6 is not damagedduring perforation. Subsequent runs would have the mandrel 99 engage adifferent tubular 10 in order to perforate a different zone or region502, also without damaging protected member 6. The spacing between thetubulars 10 may be varied or regular.

In another embodiment, well string 500 may include multiple orientingtubulars 10 and a plurality of perforating guns and guide mandrels maybe deployed at one time. In this embodiment, the elements are spaced outso that each guide mandrel cooperatively engages (as previouslydisclosed) its relevant tubular 10 at the same time. Thus, each of theperforating guns is properly oriented so as to not damage protectedmember 6. This embodiment may necessitate the use of swivels betweeneach perforating gun to allow the independent orientation of eachperforating gun.

This apparatus relates to the method and apparatus to orient perforatingsystems disposed in a well string in such a manner as to avoidpenetrating other protected members disposed in said wells by placingand fixing a mechanical orienting device to the well string to beperforated in the well. This apparatus places a device integral in thewell string to be perforated, which forces the perforating system, whichis disposed concentrically inside the well string to be penetrated torotate to a predetermined direction relative to this device connected tothe well string to be perforated. The method disclosed for using thisapparatus also connects other protected members to the well string to bepenetrated by the perforating system, such that they are fixed to thewell string to be penetrated and hence are located in a predeterminedradial position relative to the well string to be penetrated.

In use, at least one protected member is attached to the well string tobe perforated, opposite to the orientation of the perforating gun. Thisdisclosure further teaches the placement of an orienting guide attachedto a perforating system to couple or guide the perforating system intothe orientation device previously disposed in the well string to beperforated. When the perforating device and the orienting guide attachedto the perforating device encounter the predisposed orientation device,the perforating gun system rotates to the predetermined radial positionrelative to the perforating device. This disclosure then teaches theenergizing of the perforating system while the orienting guide isengaged in the orientation device.

It will be understood that the foregoing description is of preferredexemplary embodiments of this invention, and that the invention is notlimited to the specific forms shown. These and other modifications maybe made in the design and arrangement of the elements without departingfrom the scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

1. A well casing system useful for mechanically orienting a perforatingsystem comprising a guide member oriented in a fixed radial relationshipwith respect to a perforator gun, comprising: an orienting tubularpositioned in a casing string cemented in a wellbore; a protected memberdisposed along the casing string; a guide receiving member on aninterior surface of the orienting tubular, the guide receiving memberoriented in a fixed radial relationship with respect to the protectedmember; a cam mounted in the guide member, the cam being movable in aradial direction; and wherein the guide receiving member cooperates withthe cam to orient the perforator gun away from the protected member,further wherein a section of the casing string above and below the guidereceiving member has an internal diameter larger than the internaldiameter of the remainder of the casing string.
 2. The well casingsystem of claim 1 wherein the orienting tubular is one of the segmentsof the casing string.
 3. The well casing system of claim 1 furthercomprising a mechanism for attaching the protected member to the casingstring.
 4. The well casing system of claim 1 wherein the protectedmember is attached to an exterior surface of the string.
 5. The wellcasing system of claim 1 wherein the guide receiving member comprises aslotted guide path.
 6. The well casing system of claim 5 wherein theslotted guide path is formed by a sleeve fixed in the orienting tubularcomprising tangs at opposite longitudinal ends and opposing peripheralsurfaces sloping from the tangs to opposite ends of a channel definedbetween the opposing peripheral surfaces.
 7. The well casing system ofclaim 1 wherein the guide receiving member comprises an orientingsurface.
 8. The well casing system of claim 1, wherein the guidereceiving member comprises an orienting surface on its uphole end and anorienting surface on its downhole end.
 9. The well casing system ofclaim 1 wherein the protected member comprises a fiber optic cable, anelectrical cable, a hydraulic line or a combination thereof.
 10. Aperforating system useful for perforating a well casing system having aprotected member secured to a casing string including spaced orientingtubulars having a guide receiving member on an interior surface thereoffor orienting the perforation system to perforate away from theprotected member, comprising: a perforator gun attached to a conveyancedevice for passing the perforator gun through the casing string to apredetermined depth; a guide mandrel secured to the perforator gun infixed radial relationship therewith, the guide mandrel also beingaxially spaced from the perforator gun, wherein the guide mandrelcomprises opposed connection ends that enable connection of theperforator gun above or below the guide mandrel; and a guide memberfixed on an exterior surface of the guide mandrel passable through theorienting tubulars in cooperation with the guide receiving members toorient the perforator gun to perforate away from the protected member.11. The perforating system of claim 10 wherein the guide membercomprises a cam.
 12. The perforating system of claim 11 wherein the camis resiliently outwardly biased linearly in a radial direction.
 13. Theperforating system of claim 11 wherein the guide member comprises aplurality of cams.
 14. The perforating system of claim 10 wherein theguide receiving members comprise a slotted guide path and the guidemember comprises a cam passable through the slotted guide paths.
 15. Theperforating system of claim 14 wherein the slotted guide paths areformed by a sleeve fixed in the orienting tubular comprising tangs atopposite longitudinal ends and opposing peripheral surfaces sloping fromthe tangs to opposite ends of a channel defined between the opposingperipheral surfaces.
 16. The perforating system of claim 14 wherein thecam is resiliently outwardly biased.
 17. The perforating system of claim16 wherein the guide member comprises a plurality of cams.
 18. Theperforating system of claim 10 wherein the protected member comprises afiber optic cable, an electrical cable, a hydraulic line or acombination thereof.
 19. A method for casing a well, comprising:connecting casing joints together end-to-end to form a casing string;inserting an orienting tubular in the casing string; wherein a guidereceiving member is fixed on an interior surface of the orientingtubular; securing a protected member along the casing string in aradially oriented position with respect to the guide receiving member;cementing the string in a well bore; suspending a perforator gunattached to a conveyance device, a guide mandrel secured to theperforator gun in fixed radial relationship therewith and a guide memberfixed to the guide mandrel; passing the perforator gun through thecasing string to a depth below a surface of the well; radially orientingthe perforator gun with respect to the protected member byinterengagement of the guide member with the guide receiving member asthe perforator gun is passed through the orienting tubular; activatingthe perforator gun to perforate the casing string away from theprotected member; and deploying a second orienting tubular in the casingstring at a distance from the orienting tubular.
 20. The method of claim19 further comprising spacing additional orienting tubulars along thecasing string.
 21. The method of claim 19 further comprising attachingthe protected member on an exterior surface of the casing string. 22.The method of claim 19 wherein a section of the string above and belowthe guide receiving member has an internal diameter larger than theinternal diameter of the remainder of the string.
 23. The method ofclaim 19 wherein the guide receiving member comprises a slotted guidepath and the guide member comprises a cam passable through the slottedguide paths.
 24. The method of claim 23 wherein the slotted guide pathis formed by a sleeve fixed in the orienting tubular comprising tangs atopposite longitudinal ends and opposing peripheral surfaces sloping fromthe tangs to opposite ends of a channel defined between the opposingperipheral surfaces.
 25. The method of claim 23 wherein the cam isresiliently outwardly biased.
 26. The method of claim 25 wherein theguide member comprises a plurality of cams.
 27. The method of claim 19,wherein the protected member comprises a fiber optic cable, anelectrical cable, a hydraulic line or a combination thereof.